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In an interesting turn of events, the New York Democrat candidate running against House Republican Conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik called out Nancy Pelosi as being “an authoritarian.”
During a Tuesday radio interview on the Jeff Graham Show, Matt Castelli said he doesn’t throw the word traitor around much, but that he defends the use of that term directed towards Elise Stefanik regarding her actions during the January 6th riots.
He also said he isn’t afraid to all out members of his own party and aimed at Pelosi calling her “an authoritarian.”
“I do agree that sometimes we need to tone down the sort of dynamic of professional wrestling that our politics has turned into, you know, one side versus the other,” Castelli said in the interview.
“And I’m willing to call out members of my own party when I think that they’re wrong,” the Democrat House candidate continued. “Listen, I think Pelosi is an authoritarian, and I’m not going to support her for another term as speaker.”
“I think she breaks her promises, she tries to rule by division, and we need somebody who’s going to bring folks together,” he added.
A spokesperson for Stefanik’s campaign called out Castelli and his campaign.
“Far Left Downstate Democrat from Poughkeepsie Matt Castelli tried to hide the endorsement of gun-grabbing governor Kathy Hochul on his website,” the spokesperson said.
“He then admitted that he will vote for Hochul in November.”
“Now, he is mimicking Elise’s talking point that Nancy Pelosi is an authoritarian,” the spokesperson continued.
“His desperate campaign is failing and going nowhere, the DCCC has written him off as yet another Democrat who will lose by double digits to Elise Stefanik.”
“Castelli has no path to victory, North Country and Upstate New York voters will send him packing back downstate to Poughkeepsie,” they added.
Castelli told Fox News Digital that his call for Pelosi to be replaced isn’t new.
“I have consistently stated that I will not be supporting Speaker Pelosi for another term as speaker,” Castelli said. “It’s time for new leadership in the Democratic Party and in Congress, especially for NY-21 – which is why voters are planning to fire Elise Stefanik this November.”
However, Castelli is still in support of policies championed by Pelosi, like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Build Back Better bill.
A senior Republican strategist told Fox News Digital “Castelli claims to be a moderate, however he wants to join a caucus that votes almost 100 percent in lockstep with Nancy Pelosi.”
“It’s a complete sham that he is acting independent, when in reality he would be a puppet for Pelosi,” the strategist said.
